Commercial ICT-based Business Information Services for MSME Development

This paper emphasizes the importance of essential business information, generated with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for micro, small/medium enterprises (MSMEs) to gain market share and to survive in the environment. The paper states that:

• MSMEs have begun to realize the commercial value of externally validated business information sources;
• Earlier, they relied on information circulated among known business partners, neighbors or friends;
• There is a rising demand for an external access to validated Business Information Services (BIS) at low costs.

The report states that in order to create an open access to BIS at regional level, the Sri Lankan-German Enterprise Information Project (EIP) was created. This project aims at the use of BIS by the local business communities and supporting organizations through:

• Establishment of an ICT-based information system;
• Creation of a network of partners in the regions;
• Promotion of the use of commercial BIS.

Further, the document identifies the strategy adopted by EIP to initiate the development of ICT-driven BIS. It details the:

• Method of selection and establishment of the ICT infrastructure;
• Course of developing information products;
• Delivery mechanisms of BIS.

The paper concludes with certain recommendations for donors in furthering the cause:

• Since MSME cannot afford investment in ICT, the providers of BIS require external support;
• Donor interventions should be designed to develop open markets for BIS under commercial terms from the early planning stages;
• These interventions need to take account of generating marketable products (BIS) and sustaining public interest.